Alexander James "Ali" Williams (born 30 April 1981) is a New Zealand rugby union player who played at lock, spending almost all of his playing career in his homeland. At provincial level, he played mainly with Auckland, though he spent one season with Tasman and was also loaned out to Nottingham in England's second-level RFU Championship in 2010. At Super Rugby level, he played for both the Blues and Crusaders. Williams played for New Zealand's national team, the All Blacks, between 2002 and 2012. He was in the All Blacks' squad for the 2003, 2007 and 2011 World Cups. In 2005, NZ Rugby Almanack chose him as one of its five players of the year. Williams spent what were to have been the final two seasons of his career in France with Toulon, playing there from 2013 to 2015. He came out of retirement to play in the 2016/17 season for top French club Racing 92. On 25 February 2017 Williams was arrested in Paris for allegedly buying cocaine. Rugby career before the All Blacks Williams did not begin playing rugby until 1998 when, aged 17 during his time in Greenbank house at King's college. He played for the King's College Second XV. He had already represented Auckland at junior level in soccer, tennis and cricket. In 1999, he was a member of the King's College First XV and at this stage he decided to concentrate on rugby. Williams attributed much of his early success to 1st XV coach Mark Kennelly. He began a business studies course at Auckland University of Technology, but after playing club rugby and spending time at the Auckland Rugby Academy, he was selected to make his first class debut for Auckland in a National Provincial Championship (NPC) match against Taranaki on 24 August 2001. The following year he was named in the Blues squad for the Super 12 and made his debut against the Hurricanes in the opening game of the season, on 22 February 2002. Later that year, he was selected for the All Blacks' year-end tour to , and ; he played in all three Test matches, making his international debut against England at Twickenham on 9 November 2002. All Blacks career 2003 Following the 2002 year-end tour to Europe, Williams became a regular member of the All Blacks. He started in all three matches against touring Northern Hemisphere teams, in June 2003,